Come What May
by BigRedMachineUK
Summary: *COMPLETE* Today was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. So why did she feel like she was making the biggest mistake of her life? Ted/Maria/Randy, Cody. Also contains some disturbing themes.
1. When You Left I Lost a Part of Me

**A/N: This is a five or six-chapter story, so it's quite short. I try to write stories I don't really see on . I also like reading unconventional, non-clichéd pairings. I just hope you like this because I feel it falls under those categories. And PLEASE REVIEW! I enjoy reading what people think!**

_**When You Left I Lost a Part of Me**_

She sighed wearily as she stared at herself in front of the mirror. Her red hair and make up were done immaculately; her white dress was a show-stealer. She was without a doubt the most beautiful woman in the world right now, and on what was possibly the most important day of her life. She was about to be wed to one of the most beautiful men on the planet. He loved her, respected her and treated her like a queen; everything she could ask for in a man. Now they were going to be married in what was being touted as the wedding of the year.

So why she feel like shit? Why did everything feel so wrong?

Because she wanted another man standing beside her at the altar.

Ted DiBiase.

Maria could safely say that she'd never known love until she met him. A platonic relationship at OVW soon morphed into a full-fledged romance in the WWE. Then they were put on the same show which only added fuel to the raging passion. Every other day off or weekend was spent together. She didn't think she could have been any happier with the direction her life was taking. Her career was going smoothly and she was head over heels in love. With him by her side, everything was right with the world.

Then he sustained a long-term knee injury. That was when the crisis began. They started arguing. She'd become a nag and he'd become a one-man pity-party. He began to treat her like dirt and take her for granted. Little tiffs mutated into full-out battles. Then one evening, everything imploded. Things that should never have left their mouths were screamed in the heat of the moment. She walked out on him, and they never spoke again. She threw herself into her work, devastated but determined to move on with her life.

He returned to action a year later. At first they both tried to work as if nothing had ever happened between them. But mutual attraction prevailed. Old feelings sprang up again. All it took was five minutes alone in a locker room and they were back together. It was then both realized that they could never love another the way they did each other. But there was one big problem. She was engaged.

The wedding was in three months, and the fast becoming the talk of the wrestling industry. But they went ahead with their affair, and did a very good job at hiding it for a long time. But it wasn't long before one party would get disillusioned and forced to realize that they could not carry on like this. With the overbearing guilt, and the number of bridges that would be destroyed when this affair leaked out looking into the dozens, something had to give.

And it did.

"_We can't do this anymore," Ted spoke, not moving from his spot on the bed in the motel, the spot for their latest rendezvous._

_She sat upright against the headboard. "What are you talking about?"_

"_This," he finally turned to face her as he gestured between the two of them. "Us. People are starting to talk."_

"_Since when did you care what people said about you?"_

"_Never have. But this time they have a point," he told her. "We both know that what we're doing is wrong. You're engaged to one of my best friends."_

"_And you remember this now?" she said with annoyance. "We've been at it for months and you never even brought it up. Why the sudden change of heart, Theodore?"_

_It always brought a smile to his face whenever she referred to him by his full name. Not today. "I'm tired of pretending as if I'm not doing something wrong, Maria. Do you know how hard it is looking him in the eye every time he talks about you, which, by the way, is every frickin' time? He's happiest when he's talking about you. Randy loves you more than he loves his own life. This will shatter him."_

_She crawled across the bed towards him. "But I love you, Ted."_

"_You love Randy."_

"_I love you more!" she insisted, tears filling her eyes. She reached out to cup his face, but he grabbed her wrists and slowly lowered them. "Maria, listen to me," he said to her, his voice uncharacteristically stern. _

_Huffing cynically, she crossed her arms. "What? We break up and then we head back to work and act like nothing happened, huh? Is that your master plan? We're on the same damn show, Ted! Are we going to keep avoiding each other? We tried that before and look where it landed us!" She pointed at the bed._

_He shrugged. "We don't need to avoid each other. I won't be here anymore." He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "I'm moving to Smackdown."_

_If he had punched her in the face, it would have hurt her less. The air in her lungs thinned. She was not sure she'd heard him right. Suddenly he was sitting too close to her. She got off the bed, which was somewhat of a mistake, because her legs felt like jelly the second she stood. _

_His heart broke as he watched her contorting face. She was about to cry. "I signed the contract last week. I just want to end this and get on with our lives before it's too late."_

_The shock, the hurt that had filled her eyes seconds ago suddenly broke into white-hot anger._

"_Before it's too late?" she spat. "Do you have any idea what you've _done_ to me? I was over you, Ted! I was with Randy, perfectly content with my life! Then you waltz back into it and give me this bullshit hope that we can be together again, and now you wanna throw it back in my face? You selfish prick!" She was shaking. Her nostrils flared and her dainty hands were curled into angry fists. "You're right, it _is_ too late, 'cause I fell in love with you all over again! So what are you gonna do now?"_

_Her harsh words pierced his heart like a poisoned dagger. At a loss for what else to do, he closed the distance between them, taking her face in his hands. She tried to move away but the firm softness of his touch held her in place. Then again, she was always powerless against him. No man ever made her feel the way he did. No other man could ever._

"_You think I don't know how much I fucked up?" whispered Ted. "I think about it every damn day. I'd give anything to go back in time and make shit right between us. But it's too late, twelve fucking months too late. I can't begrudge you for wanting to move on with your life after what I put you through. I don't deserve a second chance from you. But at the same time I can't sit back and watch what this particular mistake has cost me. It will kill me, knowing that I sat back and let the love of my life slip away. So here's what I want you to do, okay, baby?"_

_A lone tear slipped out of his eye, his usually strong voice cracked with emotion. "You're going to marry Randy and forget about me. You're gonna settle down with him and have lots of children with him, just like you always wanted. Promise me. Promise me!" he repeated fiercely when she started to shake her head. Ted was desperately determined to stand his ground. He forced himself to ignore the tears that streamed silently down her face as her big brown eyes begged him not to do it, not to twist the knife anymore. But he couldn't be wavered. He _wouldn't_. It had to be this way for both their sanities._

"_Come what may," she reminded him, her tone on the verge of desperation. "Remember? 'Come what may Maria, you and I will always be together'. You said that yourself! You _promised_!"_

_He nodded his head slowly. He remembered. "Well, things change," he countered evenly, almost serenely, as if resigned to his self-inflicted fate. Then he lifted her hand, showing her the finger where the engagement ring was nestled. She removed the hand from his and placed it on his face and kissed him deeply, passionately. _

"_Don't leave me, Teddy," she whispered into his mouth, sobbing. "I love you."_

_At those words, Ted felt his heart shatter. "Then you'll do the right thing," he said, pressing his forehead against hers. "If you love me Maria, really love me, you'll let me go." _

So far she had followed his orders. She had come this far. But the further she went with the façade, the deeper she felt guilty over Randy. She had sleepless nights leading up to this wedding. But unlike other brides-to-be it was not out of excitement. It was because she knew this was wrong. This whole damned relationship was wrong. She loved Randy, but she was not _in love _with him. Ted was her everything. Her mind, her heart, her body and soul belonged to him. She wanted no one else. But she couldn't have him. Not anymore. And it was tearing her apart.

"Maria?"

Startled out of her reverie, she turned away from the mirror to dab at her tears. Her mother could not see her like this.

"Ah," Nina cooed, rubbing Maria's shoulders. "Tears of joy." Her brows furrowed as she took in her daughter's red-rimmed eyes. "Or at least, I hope they are."

Maria couldn't respond. She never knew how to lie to her mother. Nina sighed. She knew all about the DiBiase boy and was hoping that he was not the reason for Maria's crying. It was much too late for her to be thinking twice. "I hope you're not having second thoughts, Maria."

Sending her mother a smile through the mirror, she shook her head. "Course not," she croaked in a voice that sounded nothing like hers. "I'm fine. I'm just…nervous."

Nina ducked her head, concealing her relief. "Ah, I understand. I felt the exact same way when I married your father." She quickly freshened up Maria's make-up and smoothed down her dress. "You'll be fine," she said softly, cupping her daughter's face. "This is going to be a day you'll never forget."

Through the crack of the large oak door the faint traces of the church organ could be heard playing. Her father was outside waiting to lead her down the aisle. Everyone was at the ceremony; the Ortons, the Kanellises, including the majority of Raw, Smackdown and ECW. Even some former Superstars and Divas showed up for the wedding, which Maria thought was a nice gesture.

Ted did not. Cody had told her he wasn't coming to the wedding. A bad case of the flu was his excuse. But Maria knew better, as did Cody, but it was not his place to say anything.

Taking a final look in the mirror, Maria squared her shoulders and took another big, deep breath. As she stepped out she threw all thoughts of Theodore Marvin DiBiase out of the window, and prepared to embrace the new life she was about to embark on as Mrs. Randy Orton.

_**A/N: Chapter title from the song**_** "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey. **_**I would suggest listening to the songs as each chapter goes. They inspired me to write the story. Hope it works for you too. Stay tuned for more!**_


	2. I Pray for this Heart to be Unbroken

_**A/N: Just learned that Maria has been released by WWE. Well, I've got two words: Big. Mistake. Enjoy chapter 2.**_

_**I Pray for this Heart to be Unbroken**_

Ted DiBiase stared out the picture window of his hotel room, pursing his lips with disgust. It was a beautiful sunny morning, but there was nothing beautiful or sunny about the gnawing feeling in his gut. Today was possibly _the_ worst day of his life. It was the day all his hopes and dreams blew up right in front of his very eyes. Maria was getting married. Everyone was in town for the occasion. His roommate Cody had already gone to the church. The transparent nylon covering for his tuxedo lay strewn on his bed. Ted only decided to tag along because the next Raw was in this city. Cody had pleaded with him to come to the church but he refused. He wasn't going anywhere near that wedding, not if he could help it.

He downed his beer – his fifth of the morning – in one big gulp, pushing the tears away from his face. He was sick of this, sick of crying, sick of moping. He couldn't even begin to count just how many hours he had spent over the past months shedding tears over her. All he knew was that he was fed up of it. He just wanted to drink himself into oblivion and forget about today, forget about her. But he couldn't. Nothing he had tried could keep the beautiful face of Maria out of his mind. She occupied every inch of his brain, jumped unannounced into his thoughts during the day and haunted his dreams at night. Nothing could numb the aching pain in his heart, or close up the huge hole where his soul used to be. She was his heartbeat, his soul, his true love.

His Maria.

A smile lit up his face as he remembered the very first day he met her. She was wearing this sexy little pair of jeans, her red hair flowing down her back, huge brown doe eyes that brimmed with excitement and anticipation of the adventure she was about to embark on. She oozed confidence yet possessed this modest, self-deprecating demeanor that was extremely appealing and endearing. And damn, was she breathtakingly beautiful. He recalled himself being tongue-tied when he tried to ask her out. But she smiled that beautiful smile of hers, gazed into his eyes and told him to pick her up at seven. He fell in love with her right then and there. A relationship began not too long after and for the first time in a very long time, Ted was happy. Everything was right with the world.

But he'd gotten injured, gotten surly and cranky, and inevitably hit the self-destruct button on their relationship. He vowed to make things right when he returned to the ring. He'd been certain that it would work and they'd be together again. So imagine his surprise when she called him and told him that she was engaged. And to Randy Orton, no less. He didn't even know when they started dating! He definitely missed the memo on that one.

But what did he think? That she'd still be waiting for him after all the cruel words he'd hurled at her? All she had tried to do was help him out and make his life more comfortable while he recovered from his injury, but he'd been so paranoid about his status within the WWE that he took out his anger on everyone, including Cody and Maria. He couldn't believe how self-centered he'd been, asking her to spend more time with him when she had a life and a thriving career of her own. How could he have asked her to drop everything just for him? He hadn't even tried to stop her when she walked away totally frustrated with him. He could have sat down with her, apologized and tried to work things out between them, but he let his pride stand in the way. Yet she came back. She gave him another chance. She was engaged, not yet married, but still she had given him another opportunity to be with her. Wasn't that fate? Wasn't that something telling him that they truly belonged together? He never gave himself a chance to find out because he let it slip away. _Twice_. Now she was gone.

On the night when they finally broke up for good, he cried through the night. To this day, he could not erase her devastated face from his mind, or rid her tearful, pleading voice out of his ears. He did what he did believing it was the right thing to do. He then moved to Smackdown to stay away from further temptation. But switching shows only made him miss her more. He threw himself into his work, tried to move on like he'd never known her. It was impossible. Things felt so different without her. She wasn't there to rib him when he had one of his usual "blonde" moments, or run a soaking bath when his muscles ached like hell, or sing softly to him while they cuddled together on their road travels. He missed her throaty laugh, the way the tip of her nose crinkled slightly when she was deep in thought, how sexy she looked in the morning with disheveled hair and wearing nothing but his T-shirt. Little things that didn't seem to matter then were now things that he would have given his left arm for to see again.

He couldn't go to the wedding. He couldn't _bring_ himself to go and witness the culmination of the damage that he had caused. He came up with some dumb excuse of having a serious case of the flu to Cody. He knew his tag team partner did not buy a word of it, but he was grateful that he let it slide. There was no way he could handle seeing Maria and Randy together for one more second, especially not as they were about to exchange wedding vows. Just thinking about them together, doing things that _he_ used to do with Maria – holding hands with her, kissing her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as they made love – and knowing that Randy was doing all those things now made him want to be sick. But Randy was his friend. Ted would never have forgiven himself if Randy had ever caught him in the act with his fiancée. He was wrong to have even reignited the whole thing with Maria. Adultery was a sin, it was in the Bible. But then he had been selfish, only thinking about himself, just as he had done when he let her go the first time. But the second time they parted ways, he was thinking about her, thinking of Randy and his friendship. He had done what he did because he loved her. She needed to be someone who wasn't as insecure as he was; who at least had an idea of what he wanted.

But that was it. Ted knew what he wanted, and it was the redheaded Goddess that was Maria Kanellis. He wanted her, wanted to be with her. She was the woman that had the honor of having tamed Ted DiBiase Jr., made him want to think of settling down and having a family. Even his father, Million Dollar Man Ted Sr. adored her, another achievement that very few of his numerous girlfriends could lay claim to. All the signs pointed in the right direction, yet he ignored them.

Sitting on his bed, he reached into his backpack and withdrew a little purple velvet box, flicking it open. Inside was the beautiful engagement ring he'd bought for her. He had planned to propose to her after he returned. It was still as pretty as it was when he first bought it; a white-gold band with three little amethyst stones in its center; the purple stones representing the month of her birth, February. He carried it around to remind him of what a fool he was, punishing himself. He brushed it with his finger. It felt cold against his skin, the sensation blending perfectly with his miserable disposition.

Ted sighed, his breath rattling. He never realized heartbreak could be this painful, or take this long to overcome. Even after all these months, Ted was still head-over-heels in love with her, so much that it physically hurt. He ached for her. She was the woman he loved more than his own life, more than his own breath. But he he'd brought this on himself. He had fucked things up irreparably between them. He had convinced her into believing that she was better off without him and driven her into the arms of another man.

He picked up the wedding invite lying on his coffee table and stared at it. The smiling, hand-holding images of Randy and Maria beamed back at him. It was then he made up his mind that he had to move on. Randy was a good man. He knew for a fact that he loved Maria. He would keep on loving her with all his heart and treat her right and take care of her. She would be happier with him, and if she was happy, then Ted was happy. But he knew deep down that he never would be happy without her by his side. As far as he was concerned, he would never know joy again.

His vision began to blur, and curling his fist into a ball, he tossed the little velvet box into the waste basket. Mentally exhausted, a heartbroken Ted laid against the headboard, giving in to his tears.

Dear God, what had he done to himself?

**A/N: Chapter title from the song "Incomplete" by Backstreet Boys**


	3. This is the Part Where the End Starts

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Working on two more stories soon to be released. But for now, here's chapter 3. Enjoy. And PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing what everyone thinks. And thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed my other stories! You all rock!**_

_**This is the Part Where the End Starts**_

"Did someone turn off the air conditioning or what?" Randy hissed, adjusting his bow tie. "It's so fuckin' hot!"

"Naw, man," his longtime friend John Cena chuckled behind him, "that's just your body telling you that you're about to throw up."

As much as Randy's body threatened to make good on the Doctor of Thuganomics' foresight, he could not afford to humiliate himself in front of everybody. The church was full to the brim as the ceremony was due to start any time from now. Everybody actively involved in the ceremony had taken their assigned positions while the rest of the congregation waited for the service to commence.

For a man as young as he was, Randy Orton had recorded quite a number of significant achievements in his career. He debuted in the WWE at the ripe old age of twenty-two. He had even main-evented Wrestlemania countless times before, and held the accolade of being the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history. But none of those milestones had produced the eagle-sized butterflies that swooped in his stomach right now. This was his _wedding_. Jeez, when the hell did he become mature enough to get married? John had ribbed the hell out of him about it in the weeks leading up to this day. Who'da thunk it? Randy Keith Orton, playboy extraordinaire, was finally turning in his Player's Card; surrendering himself to the proverbial ball and chain. He had been mildly confident of a smooth transition into married life, but even before he officially went off the market, the pressure had already begun its attempts to swallow him up. He became so stressed from work and wedding plans that he had enrolled in secret yoga lessons to help him calm his nerves. So far, not one technique was working in his favor. He had never been so nervous in his life.

"Come on man. You'll be fine," John encouraged him cheerily. "Remember what I showed you; that substitute teacher-on-crack smile?" he broke into an abnormally toothy grin, making Edge cringe. "You know, John?" the blond man said. "I can swear on anything that none of your substitute teachers smiled like that."

John let out an impatient huffing sound. "Got any other ideas, Einstein?"

The Rated-R Superstar rolled his eyes. "Please. Anything I come up with will be better than your crackhead substitute teacher bullshit."

"You're a hater," John informed him.

Edge put up his hands in resignation. "I _so_ don't know you right now."

"Not helping, you two," Dave informed the bickering men before turning back to a pale-skinned Randy. "Man, just relax."

"Easy for you to say," Randy snapped, fiddling with his bow tie again. Why did it feel so damn tight? "You've all done this before. In Dave's case, twice."

"Beside the point, Orton," said the Animal. "Pull yourself together. And if you touch that bow tie again I'll break _both_ your hands. It's a promise."

"Fuck you."

"No thanks, dude. Now focus."

Randy found himself being grateful to Dave for slightly easing his tension with the friendly banter. He decided to sweep his eyes over the decorations laid out inside the church. Pretty white lilies adorned the round pillars above them, all connected by cream-colored drapes falling in regal arches all around the church. The Orton family went all-out for their son's wedding. The couple had chosen the bridesmaids for their wedding as Mickie James, Melina and Candice Michelle, who were dressed in peach-colored Grecian-style dresses made by Maria herself, while Edge, Dave and John were Randy's groomsmen, all looking dapper in well-fitting gray Armani suits.

"This is it, man," Edge said, quickly dusting his suit as the Wedding March song sounded.

"Shit," Randy hissed, shutting his eyes as he felt himself begin to hyperventilate. He made a mental note to return to the yoga class and demand a refund.

With her father by her side, Maria began her slow saunter down the aisle. Randy felt himself relax as he locked eyes with his wife-to-be. It was like a redheaded angel was walking towards him to take him away to a place of eternal bliss. He had never seen a sight more beautiful that what he was seeing now and he doubted he ever would.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Dave whispered in his ear, having heard his friend's contented sigh. Beautiful? Here Randy was thinking he had died and gone to heaven. The gods had truly smiled down on him when they picked her to be his wife.

When Randy first came into the WWE, he had no expectations whatsoever on the long-term romance front. He was quite contented being single and flirty. But he got older and naturally, perspectives began to change. Then the million-dollar question popped up. What were the chances of finding a woman who was as obsessed with the wrestling business as much as he was, didn't mind hanging out with the guys, could hold a decent, intelligent conversation with anyone and still be femininely beautiful all at the same time? The answer? Slim to none. Or so he thought.

When she first showed up at the WWE she was with Ted DiBiase, and therefore he never gave her so much as a second glance. After their breakup Randy had tried to be as friendly with her as possible, maybe get to know her a bit as a colleague, especially since she and Ted had been so attached at the hip. But he hadn't bargained for her to be so damned charming. Or so smart. Or have such stunningly beautiful green eyes. Randy could not resist. He would have punted himself in the head if he did. Love was very hard to come by these days with his kind of reputation. But Maria had given him a chance, and Randy had no intention to screw it up.

At the other end of the altar, Candice leaned towards Mickie, a look of concern on her face as she whispered: "Something's up."

"Huh?" Mickie asked vaguely, who was currently occupied exchanging discreet winks and air kisses with John opposite them.

"You'll make out with your husband later!" said Candice, annoyed that she was not commanding the full attention of her fellow bridesmaid. "Look at Maria. She looks like she's been crying."

Mickie took a look at the redhead approaching the altar. "Hello? It's called tears of joy?" she whispered back.

"I don't think so, MJ," Candice said sadly. "In fact, I think it's the complete opposite."

Melina, standing beside Candice, kept silent. She too had noticed Candice's observation and knew exactly what she was getting at. Another person would have made the same comment Mickie did, but Melina knew better. There was only one reason Maria would be looking so dejected on the day of her wedding, and it came in the form of a certain Ted DiBiase. Melina had been the one to console a distraught Maria when she and Ted broke up. She had been the one to question Maria's relationship with Randy, why it was so soon after the breakup, but Maria had doggedly insisted that she was happy with Randy. Melina didn't doubt that. The Legend Killer was a good guy, but it was _Maria _that Melina was worried about. It was obvious that she was not over Ted and probably never would be. Maria had to understand that until she came to terms with this fact, her marriage to Randy was not going to work. But it seemed Maria was buoyed by a misguided determination to prove her wrong. It did nothing to quell the fact that this marriage was a mistake, and Melina felt terrible for Randy because it would only be a matter of time before the redhead left him a very heartbroken man.

Later on in the ceremony, the priest asked the bride and groom to turn towards each other as they made their vows. Randy observed Maria, realizing that she was not smiling as much as he thought she would, and was it him or was she paler than her usual skin tone? He quickly shook off all the creeping, petty doubts in his mind. He told himself he was just worrying, that she probably wasn't feeling well.

The priest turned to him. "Do you, Randall Keith Orton, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, and promise to love and to cherish her, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health until death you part?"

"I do," he said loudly and clearly, looking into her eyes, meaning every syllable.

Smiling, the priest set his sights on Maria. "And do you, Maria Kanellis, take this man to be your lawfully wedded wife, and promise to love and to cherish him, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

In stark contrast to Randy's composed, decisive response, Maria kept mute. She seemed to have fallen into a trance-like state, staring hard and long into Randy's blue eyes, as if searching them for the answer to the question. The congregation began to grow restless, and some of them even began shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Randy simply stood there innocently, waiting expectantly for her answer. Finally she opened her mouth to speak.

"No…"

Loud gasps of astonishment rang around the church. The mouths of John and Mickie fell open in utter shock. Melina shut her eyes and raised her head heavenward, relief washing over her. Both Edge and Candice visibly cringed, while Dave put his hand over his face, currently wishing he were anywhere but here. Maria however, had a look of immense liberation, intertwined with fear and shock, as if that one, monosyllabic word had broken shackles that were seconds away from binding her to eternal misery, but at the same time shocked that she actually spoken the words out loud. She squared her shoulders and repeated herself, this time with more conviction. "No. I can't…" Her eyes filled with tears as she ducked her head.

The majority of the congregation sat stunned. Others were whispering excitedly into their phones, delivering the juicy gossip. Maria's mother looked like she was about to pass out. Randy's actually did. She had to be carried out of the church by Cody and Kofi Kingston as Bob followed them close behind.

Randy looked like he'd been doused in a bucket of hot water. Maria saw him blink several times, as though doing so could erase what he had just heard. But when their eyes met again, Maria's were bright with resolution. And though her lip quivered badly, it was evident that her mind was not going to be changed. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

With that, Maria turned on her heel, and lifting her skirt, ran out of the church, her vision blinded by tears. Randy could only watch helplessly as she took flight.

_**A/N: Chapter title from the song "I Hate This Part" by the Pussycat Dolls**_


	4. Wise Words Don’t Stop The Bleeding

_**A/N: Just a little tidbit to a few people out there: I tend to ignore diva-like demands. It's my story, I do what I want. I picked the songs for a reason, which I explained at the beginning of the story. Make suggestions, not commands. I'm not a genie. Thank you. Now where was I? Oh yeah. Maria has run off, effectively calling off the wedding. How does the jilted groom take it?**_

_**

* * *

Wise Words Don't Stop The Bleeding**_

Randy found Maria exactly where he knew she would be, under the big oak tree overlooking the lake by her family home. This was the tree, she once told him, that she always came to during her childhood to find refuge from whatever difficulty she was facing, or simply come to relax and reflect on life in general.

No prizes for guessing why she was there this time.

The guests left hours ago. After Maria had abandoned him at the altar, Randy had sat down numbly in the front row of the church, certain that he was in one of those Runaway Bride-type movies. But it was real, and it was happening to him. Just a minute ago he had known how he would confront her. But now that she was near, his mind was blank, with no signs of his much-needed memory returning to him anytime soon. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He sat down beside her on the soft grass. He crossed his legs in front of him, his sharp black tuxedo pants hiking up a bit to reveal the black socks underneath them, and surveyed the picturesque scenery before him; staring but seeing nothing, his vision muddled by his racing mind.

Maria felt his presence but did not move, terrified to look him in the eye. She had no right to defend herself, not after the way she shamed him in front of his family and friends. The internet smarks would have a field day. Randy would become a laughing stock, and it would be all her fault. She waited silently for the onslaught, the tirade she was certain was coming. God knew she deserved whatever hateful word that he threw at her after what she had done to him, betrayal that he never deserved.

She finally dared to glance up at him. Her heart broke at the distant, passive look in his eyes. "Randy…"

"I know what you want to say, Maria," Randy spoke suddenly, startling her. His tone was cool, calm and collected. "Don't."

Maria obeyed, keeping her eyes on the grass. It was better that she did shut up. What possible explanation could she have for being so cold, so heartless? She wanted to say she never meant for this to happen, but it would have sounded like a terrible lie.

"I've thought about this for a long time, you know," Randy continued. "And to be honest, I kinda saw this coming."

Her tear-filled eyes widened. An unpleasant, hollow feeling nestled in her stomach. "What?"

"I knew that you were never really mine, Maria," he admitted, his eyes meeting her perplexed features. "At least not in the way I wanted you to be. I've known right from the start, really."

She stared at him, not knowing whether to be relieved or petrified about that. "Randy…"

"Please, let me finish," he interrupted, putting his hand over hers. "For a very long time, something in my gut told me that I rushed you into this relationship. You had something really special with Ted, unbreakable even. I remembered how devastated you were when you broke up and I should have at least given you time to pick yourself up. But I didn't, and that was a mistake on my part. Your heart wasn't really in it. As a result, things were missing between us from the get-go. I was destined to become the rebound guy. You loved me, yes, but you weren't _in love_ with me. I should have known better than think that I could somehow take his place."

A pang shot through her at his words. Randy had obviously put a lot of thought into this, to the point that he was practically blaming himself for his own humiliation, and that made her feel even more terrible.

Catching the pained expression in her eyes, he hooked his finger underneath her chin and gently lifted her face up. "Listen to me, cutie. This is not your fault. _I_ got myself into this mess. If I hadn't been so selfish-"

"But you _weren't_," Maria insisted, appalled that he would think such a thing. "If anything, you were perfect."

"Yeah," he acknowledged with a shrug, "but perfection isn't enough when I'm not the one you really want."

Guilt-ridden, she bowed her head once again.

"Hey," Randy whispered. "I'm okay, Maria. I'm not angry, I swear. It hurts a bit, but I can handle it."

Maria could only marvel at his impeccable composure. Even when they were friends, she always knew that Randy Orton was not the arrogant, psychotic bastard he played on TV. He was honest, funny, a good listener and an absolute gentleman. Other than the occasional issues with his temperament, he was a gem. But he was right, and she could not deny it. There was no way she could have continued to deceive him, or more importantly, herself. He was not Ted. Believing that she could see past that, she had tried to make herself love Randy and in the process lost Ted and ended up breaking Randy's heart. "I'm so sorry, Randy," she said meekly.

"I know you are," he said, still strangely calm. "I also know that I don't want to lose you completely, 'Ria. I still want you to be a part of my life."

"Really?" she asked uncertainly. He nodded, adding with a soft, sad smile. "I care too much about you. Besides, we were good friends, remember? We can go back to that. Remember how much fun we had the weekend I came to Chicago to see you?"

Maria found herself smiling as she remembered. "Yeah. It was great."

He grinned. "And remember that time we went rollerblading at the park in St. Louis…"

Maria rolled her eyes, knowing what was coming next. "Oh no…"

"…And you fell right on your ass?" Randy burst into laughter.

She huffed, looking sulky. "In my defense, it was a really sharp turn."

"Hey, you still fell. And your legs were sticking up in the air and shit!" He threw his hands in the air to demonstrate and leaned against the tree, laughing his head off. Refusing to be outdone, Maria planted her hand on her waist. "My turn, smartass! Remember when you hit on that tranny the time we went to Hooters to watch the Super Bowl?"

"I did not hit on her!" Randy argued, his voice faltering a bit. "Or _him_. Whatever! _She_ made the first move, not me."

"You kissed her!"

"I had a few drinks in my system…"

"And I still have pictures!" Maria wiggled her eyebrows slyly.

Randy gasped in horror. "No fuckin' way! You said you deleted them!"

A devilish grin spread across her beautiful face. "I lied."

Randy pouted, but soon returned to his dazzling smile. "See what I mean? We can do this. So we're not getting married. Big deal. I still want to be there for you, for you to come to me if you ever need anything. I'd really like that, 'Ria."

Deeply touched by his selflessness, she lowered her head. "I can't understand how you could be so forgiving," she said quietly. "I feel like I used you. I led you on for so long. How many months of your life did you waste on me, time that you're never gonna get back?"

"It wasn't a waste to me, cutie," Randy assured her, taking her hand in his. "I enjoyed every second we shared together. Sure, the timing kinda sucks," he laughed a little, gesturing at their wedding outfits, "but better late than never, right?"

Randy leaned back to rest against the tree. He beckoned for Maria to move closer, and when she did, he wrapped an arm around her. His head rested against hers, and she closed her hand around his wrist that was over her shoulder as they stared out into the lake, watching little fish leap out and back into the water, soaking in the new but comfortable aura surrounding them. Maybe this was always how things were meant to be between them; having a close, impenetrable friendship fated to stand the test of time. The talk they just had was definitely a step in the right direction. Maria decided then and there that she did want Randy in her life after all. He was precious to her, and she was going to protect him.

"You really love Ted, don't you?" Randy asked after a while, his deep, soft voice penetrating her thoughts.

A bashful smile automatically spread across her face. "I do. He means everything to me. I never believed in soul mates until I met him. I can't even explain what I feel for him, it's like…unreal. He…he _is_ my soul mate, Randy."

"You should see your face right now," Randy whispered, almost awe-stricken as he watched her. "The big smile, eyes all lit up…I've never seen you like that, for me, or anyone else. And all I needed to do was mention Ted's name. Now if that's not love, I don't know _what_ is."

Flushing, she bit her lip. "I _did _love you, Randy," she told him sincerely.

"I know, cutie," he smiled, stroking her hair. His other hand searched for something in his pocket. "You're a good person, Maria. Let no one tell you otherwise," he continued. "That's why I fell for you in the first place. And that's why I want you to be with the man you want."

He presented his Blackberry to her. Maria gasped as she realized what he wanted her to do. "Randy, I…you don't have to do this."

But he merely shrugged. "I _want _to. You should talk to him. Straighten things out once and for all. This time nobody will get in the way. I'll make sure of that myself. His speed dial's 6," he added with a knowing wink.

Gratitude overwhelmed her as she beamed at him. "You're an amazing man, Randy. I pray you find the girl you deserve. She'll be the luckiest woman on the planet."

"I will, someday." He smiled, putting the phone in her hand and closing her fingers around it. "Now call your boy."

Sending him one final, grateful smile, she got off the grass and moved a few feet away, punching in the numbers she knew by heart. It went straight to voicemail.

"_Hey, you've reached Ted. You know what to do_." The beep went off.

"Ted. Hey," she stammered, surprised she could hear herself over her loudly hammering heart. "It's Maria. I just called to say…I just wanted you to know…The wedding is off, Ted. I didn't go through with it. I just…" She paused, lifting her head to force back the impending tears. She wanted to say so much more to him. Her heart ached to tell him how she really felt. She had sacrificed so much for him already but she was willing to do more, only if it would get him to come back to her.

"I _need_ you, Teddy," she cracked out, clutching the phone so hard that her knuckles turned white. "It's you I want to spend the rest of my life with. I can't do it if it's not with you, I just can't. I lost you twice already. I'm not gonna do it again. I mean it."

She bit her lip shyly. "I…I want to see you, Ted. Please. I want us to talk. Come down to the church. I'll be waiting outside, and I'm not leaving until you get here. Hope to see you. Bye."

Hesitantly, hoping she had said everything right, she hung up and went back to Randy, handing him back his phone. "Done?" he asked.

She nodded as she resumed her seat beside him on the soft grass. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you Randy," she whispered in his ear. "You don't know how much this means to me."

He hugged her back, smiling at the unrestrained joy in her voice. It told Randy that he'd done the right thing. He'd been the bigger man, graciously accepted defeat, and he felt somewhat consoled by this.

Now all he had left to do was pick up the pieces of his broken heart.

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_**A/N: Title from the song "Breakeven" by The Script**_


	5. The Sun Will Set for You

**_A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was busy working on my other stories and developing a few more. Now I'm back with the penultimate chapter of "Come What May", chapter 5. Please REVIEW! And a big thanks to all those who already have._**

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**_The Sun Will Set For You_**

Rubbing his face, Ted squinted, trying to adjust his eyes to the growing darkness. Lifting his head slowly, he checked his watch and wondered how long he'd been asleep for. Damn, four hours! He looked around at the untidy suite and groaned. He thanked the Lord that Cody wasn't back yet to find him in this mess. He would have ribbed him senseless. Speaking of the little bugger, _why_ wasn't he back anyway? Certainly the wedding was over by now.

Dread and misery crawled into his stomach as the thought sank in like dead weight. His love, Maria was now a married woman. He could have nothing further to do with her. He wasn't allowed to think about her anymore or see her in that light anymore, or entertain dreams of having successfully repaired what he had damaged anymore. It was over and done, and he could no longer do anything about it.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the blinking blue light emanating from his cell phone. Voicemail. Couldn't anyone take the hint that he didn't feel like speaking to anyone right now? He pressed the number "1" and reached for another beer, cracking it open and raising it to his lips.

"_Ted, hey. It's Maria."_

The instant he heard her voice, he froze, not moving for several moments. Then his heart hardened and he resumed drinking his beverage, trying to block out the dull pain stabbing at him. He contemplated turning off the phone. Hearing her voice just served to drive home the fact that they were through and he really couldn't handle it.

"_I just called to say…I just wanted you to know…the wedding is off, Ted. I didn't go through with it_."

The unexpected statement caused him to unceremoniously spit out his drink. Spluttering and wiping at himself, Ted gaped at the talking phone. That couldn't be right. Did she just say that she didn't go through with the wedding? He grabbed the device and replayed the message. Holy shit! He _wasn't_ hearing things. She just said that she called off the wedding. It only meant one thing. She didn't marry Randy! And it only meant one thing. He still had a chance with her.

He stopped thinking and started moving. He flew out of the hotel room and down to the lobby. Finding himself a rental car – which annoyingly took a longer time than normal – he drove off with the speed of a seasoned NASCAR driver.

Ted remembered the directions to the church, which were clearly printed in the wedding invite, but he could find the place with his eyes closed. That showed just how often he used to visit Maria's hometown. As he drove, he put his phone on speaker and played the message over and over again, as if trying to ensure that his mind was not playing tricks on him. He could hear Maria's beautiful, mellifluous voice as if she was sitting next to him in the passenger's seat.

_"I need you, Teddy …It's you I want to spend the rest of my life with." _Ted could not help himself. He burst into mirthful laughter, the car reverberating with the relief and the joy that was currently spewing out of him like an overflowing fountain. This was no illusion, not anymore. This was, without doubt, destiny. God was telling him something, something he himself believed the very moment he first locked eyes with her; that he truly belonged with Maria Kanellis.

"_I can't do it if it's not with you, I just can't. I lost you twice already. I'm not gonna do it again. I mean it."_

The traffic light up ahead at the junction, Ted's identified landmark whenever he showed up in these parts, told him he was nearly at his destination. It was showing green. His heart thumped wildly as he fumbled with the little velvet box he kept in his pocket. He brought out the ring and held it up, grinning like an idiot. He had been carrying this thing around for so long, hoping, praying that this day would come. Now it had and he was going to grab onto it with both hands.

"_I want to see you, Ted. Please. I want us to talk. Come down to the church. I'll be waiting outside, and I'm not leaving until you get here…"_

He envisioned seeing her standing there, looking heartbreakingly angelic in her white wedding dress. He would wrap her up in his arms and kiss her silly before going down on one knee, asking her to put him out of his self-imposed misery and become his wife while they stared lovingly into each other's eyes. All of that was about to become reality. He was so happy he could barely think straight. He could not lose her again. It would tear him apart if he made yet another mistake with her.

_I'm coming, Maria_, he thought, _I'm coming, baby_.

The car suddenly jerked as it ran through a pothole, and the box slipped from his fingers, rolling onto the passenger seat beside him. Briefly taking his eyes off the road, Ted picked up the box, and flicked it open to examine the ring. Everything looked fine, the purple jewels still in their place.

However, he didn't notice that the traffic light had now turned red. As he crossed the intersection a bright gleam of light from his left side suddenly cut into his eyes, snapping his attention back on the road. He winced, shielding his eyes. Then he heard the blaring horn before he could even register where it was coming from. The light grew rapidly brighter and as he looked to his left, his mouth instantly went dry, watching helplessly as the massive Mack truck came at him at full speed.

"_Hope to see you. Bye."_

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"He's not coming, Randy," Maria said sadly.

Dusk was rapidly blanketing the sky stretched above the church. After making that nerve-wracking phone call to Ted she had kept to her word and gone back to the church to wait for him. Randy, ever the gentleman, volunteered to wait with her. But time lingered on, and Ted was still a no-show. He hadn't returned the call. There was nothing whatsoever indicating that he had even received it, and soon enough, Maria's hope began to dwindle, and then after the fourth hour of waiting it faded completely.

"He'll be here," Randy assured her, but Maria shook her head rapidly, refusing to listen. "That phone call was a mistake," she murmured, tears of sadness and regret filling her eyes. Once again, she had let her hopes up only for them to be brought crashing back down. She'd had enough. She wanted to just go back home and hide in her room and never show up at work ever again. All she wanted to do was cry her eyes out. So Ted really wanted her to stay away from him then. Was this really how he wanted things to end with them?

"That's it. Come on." Randy got to his feet, reaching out to help her up. "Let's go find him."

"What? No!" Maria shook her head again, pushing her hair out of her eyes as the humiliation gradually settled into her psyche. "Isn't it obvious? He wants nothing to do with me anymore. If that's what he wants then why should I still bother him again?" She dug her fingers into her hair, pacing back and forth. "God, I'm so _stupid_-"

"Maria," Randy said soothingly.

"What makes you think he's coming?" she asked irritably, forcing back the tears that were doggedly climbing up her throat. "Huh? What makes you think he's going to come down here?"

"Because I know Ted," insisted the Legend Killer. "He still loves you, no matter what else he's said before. Besides, when I told you I wanted you to be with the man you want, I wasn't kidding. Come, let's head to the hotel. Maybe he's still there."

She hesitated for a moment, wanting to protest further, to tell him that there was no point, but she caught the familiar glint of determination swimming in his strong cerulean eyes, and she eventually complied. "Okay."

She got up and was following Randy down the hill when she spotted a car coming – no, scratch that – _speeding_ down the long stretch of road. It didn't slow down until it stopped right at the foot of the hill. Maria's eyes lit up, her heart pounding with excitement. _Oh my God_, she thought, going giddy with joy, _Randy was right. He's here!_

With lightning speed, she left the third-generation superstar's side as she dashed down the hill towards the road. But as the driver of the car emerged, Maria skidded to an abrupt halt, feeling the disappointment wash over her, her heart sinking all the way down to her toes.

It was only Cody.

He was running towards them, calling both of their names. Maria walked towards him, but her curiosity converted into alarm when she took a good look at her young friend. He was bent over slightly, trying to catch his breath, his face reddened from his exertions spent climbing the hill, but he wore this devastated look on his face. His appearance was disheveled, and his eyes were red and swollen, like he'd been crying. Something was very, very wrong, Maria realized with agitation.

"Guys," Cody choked out, tears streaming down his cheeks. "We…gotta go…right now!"

Alarm bells began to ring in Maria's head, and her insides clenched painfully with fear and terror as the signs became suddenly, sickeningly unmistakable.

Randy had picked up the distress as well. "Cody! What is it?" he asked, his deep voice laden with worry and inquisitiveness.

The young man could barely speak. His pale features were filled with shock and panic, and other combinations of things that Maria could only decipher as hysteria. But when he managed to regain a part of his composure to address them, she wished he never opened his mouth. She wished he never even came here, because the words that came out his mouth and filtered through her ears would go a long way to destroying her forever.

"It…It's Ted. He's been in an accident…"

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**_A/N: Title from the song "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park. Yes, I know. It's not looking like a happy ending. There's only one chapter left to see if there is any hope left for Ted. Coming soon, I promise. Looking forward to the reviews!_**


	6. Endless Love

_**A/N: Argh! I'm so sad! I loved writing this story, and I truly hoped everyone enjoyed it. This last chapter was a tough one to write but I really hope I came through. The plan was to make this final chapter as sappy as possible! Thanks to everyone who gave feedback! You're awesome! And now, I conclude this story with one of my favorite songs of all time! Enjoy!**_

_**P.S. This chapter contains disturbing themes.**_

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_**Endless Love**_

_One month later…_

Making his way down the hallway of their latest hotel, Randy dropped the many pieces of luggage he was juggling with a big huff and checked the key card, smiling with relief when he realized he was standing right in front of the corresponding door. He then opened the door and turned around. "After you, cutie," he said with a cheeky grin.

Maria returned his smile, and stepped through the door into the foyer. Randy followed her, dragging the first set of luggage – hers – in with him. He set the suitcases down and went back out to fetch the rest. Maria kicked off her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed. Randy was saying something to her as he unpacked, but she was not hearing a single word. She wrapped her bony arms around her knees, her green eyes glazing over as she withdrew into herself once again.

The Viper eyed the redhead with pain in his eyes. Over the course of the last month, Maria had become a shell of her once cheerful, effervescent self. She barely spoke to anyone anymore and smiled even less. She wasn't eating. She had even gone as far as creating this self-imposed distance between herself and everybody else, literally detaching from the rest of the world. Only Randy was allowed to have anything to do with her, which itself was merely sparingly. Watching his friend go through so much pain and anguish made Randy's heart ache. He and Maria had been rooming for some time now, and he had gotten used to this routine of hers. However, he would have been lying if he said he had ever been comfortable with it. Nonetheless he was determined to take care of her; to help her, if only to keep her mind off Ted for a while…

Randy quickly shook his head, forcing down the tears forming in his throat. God, he couldn't even think about his friend without wanting to cry. He could never ever forget what he saw when he arrived at the scene of the accident; the totaled truck; the grotesquely mangled rental car; the blood all the driver's seat. The truck driver had survived, but Ted had died on impact. The funeral was the most painful thing Randy had ever had to endure, and life in the locker room was excruciatingly different without him around.

So he could only imagine what Maria was going through. He had known firsthand of the strength of the love that Ted and Maria had shared for so long. Even Randy himself hadn't been able to come between them. Even when their relationship fell apart she had fought to keep them together, risked everything to be with him. So to lose him like that, for him to have been snatched so cruelly, so suddenly from her must have been gut-wrenching. All he could do was to give her as much support as he could, something he vowed to keep doing, probably until she got sick of him.

"I have to meet Vince for a short meeting," Randy said to her, heading towards the door. "I'll pick up some food on the way back. Want anything?"

Wordlessly, without even looking up to acknowledge him, she shook her head. Randy pursed his lips, wanting to say something, but thought better of it. She wasn't going to change her mind. Not for the first time, he nodded with insincerity. "Okay. I'll be back in a sec. Hang tight."

As soon as the door was shut behind the Legend Killer, Maria broke down in bitter tears. Her frail body slid pathetically from the edge of the bed onto the floor. Her knees came up to her chest, curling into a fetal position as she wept for the umpteenth time in as many days. She was so cold. The _world_ was so fucking cold…

Maria never fully understood the true meaning of having a broken heart until a month ago, when Ted died in that car crash. Since then, she had been plunged into this incomprehensible darkness, enduring this farce of an existence that for a long time now had been begging to be extinguished. She felt like she'd been hit by the same truck that took him. The abyss only grew deeper and deeper with each passing second, meticulously withering her sanity until there was nothing but empty numbness.

So many emotions ate at her like a powerful corrosive, guilt being the most prevalent. Ted was on that road that day because he was coming for her, because she had begged him to come. Contrary to what she'd thought, he hadn't ignored her call. But she would have without a shadow of a doubt taken that call back if only it guaranteed that he would still be alive today. To know that he had perished, that he was no longer alive because of her was more than she could bear.

Sobbing, she shut her eyes tightly, letting the tears falling freely. She missed him so much. Her rapidly deteriorating mind envisioned nothing else but being reunited with Ted DiBiase. He followed her everywhere she went. He invaded her dreams and haunted her nightmares. Sometimes she would actually _see_ him standing there, but she would wake up and discover that she was only imagining it all. He was never going to be there again, and living with that fact each day brought only more agony and misery and indescribable loneliness. The pain hurt so much, ached so physically, that she often found it hard to breathe. And now, she just couldn't take it anymore. She knew she could not keep living like this. She was not going to survive without him. A lifetime was just too long. The anguish and the guilt were a tag team that she could not defeat alone, and she refused to go through the emotional torment for a second longer, let alone the rest of her natural life.

Her body moving on its own volition, Maria rummaged messily into her bag and retrieved an orange plastic bottle of anti-depression pills. She stared at it intently, as if it were giving her advice. The bottle was full to the brim, untouched, enticing. She sat upright, observing it with a morbid fascination. It was sign, telling her that this was the time, that this was the solution. This would bring an end to all her suffering. When Ted died, Maria's spirit died with him.

Maybe…maybe it was time to make it official.

With trembling hands, Maria unscrewed the cap off the bottle, throwing it aside. Then leaning back, she tilted her head and emptied the entire contents into her mouth. The little container slipped out of her hands, clattering to the floor and rolling away from her. Then slowly, she spread her thin body across the floor in front of the bed and shut her eyes. Within minutes Maria felt her body shutting down like a power failure, and a weak smile crossed her face as she began to slip away. If there was any pain or discomfort, she never felt them. All that mattered to her was that she was going to see Teddy again. They had made a promise to each other, and Maria was going to do anything to keep her end of the bargain. Come what may, they had said, they were going to be together, and if it meant that she had to join him in the afterlife, then so be it.

She never heard Randy come back into the hotel room and rush towards her in a panic; never heard his strangled moan as he picked up the orange bottle and realized what she had done. She never heard him frantically calling her name or screaming down the phone for an ambulance; never heard his sobs as he tried to revive her, as he begged her to wake up. The light from beyond was growing brighter, more attractive, and she couldn't look away if she tried.

Then she saw him standing there; tall, muscular; immaculately flawless. It was like he'd never even been scratched. Even in all the years she had known him she never recalled him being this beautiful.

He was gaping at her, surprise etched upon his sharp features. "Maria." Tears streamed down his face, the thin lines dissolving the second they fell down his cheeks. "You're here."

"Teddy," she whispered, the elation in her heart so overwhelming that she thought she would collapse from it. She reached out to him, nearly crying as she touched his face. "It's you. It's _really_ you."

"Yes." Ted clasped her small, dainty hands with his, his face crumpling with sorrow. "Baby," he said, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry I put you through this."

Seeing the questioning look in her eyes, he continued. "Since I left, I've been watching you," he said, staring as if trying to memorize every inch of her, afraid that if he didn't, she would disappear from his very eyes. "I watched you cry in your sleep, watched you mope around and punish yourself for weeks. I felt every bit of pain you were feeling, and it tore me apart that I couldn't do anything to erase it."

Maria stroked his face affectionately, stopping short when he took a step back. She watched him with initial surprise before her expression softened. Up here, wherever _here_ was, everything he was feeling inside of him could be seen in black and white, the grey veils of uncertainty giving way to lucid clarity. And right now, as if she were watching a video, she could see the conflicting myriad of emotions swimming within him.

"'Ria, baby," he started, staring down at the floor as his voice cracked. "You didn't have to do this, not for me."

"I don't care," Maria insisted fiercely, her green eyes radiating, even in death, with the love she had for him. "You had no idea what went through my head when they told me that you were dead, that I lost you again for good. How the hell did you expect me to live without you? I couldn't. I tried, Ted, I swear, but I just could not. And standing here right now I already feel such a difference in me, like everything's complete. We're meant to be Ted, no matter where we end up. I know it, and I know you know it."

His lip quivered, then his whole body shook. Suddenly he moved, closing the little distance between them. He lowered his head, his lips touching hers in the softest and sweetest way. It was nothing deep or passionate; just a soft simple kiss. Maria cupped his face as they wrapped their lips around each other's in a stream of slow, sensual kisses. If this was a dream, neither of them wanted to wake up. This felt so, _so_ right. Standing here, back in the arms of her true love was enough to tell Maria that her ultimate act of sacrifice was worth it. Time and time again she had walked away from everything seemingly stable in her life just to be with him. And like she told him, she would do it all over again if only she could call him hers again.

"I love you so much, Maria," Ted whispered softly when they pulled apart, pressing his forehead against hers as he caressed her face. "I've always loved you."

Maria shut her eyes, her insides clogging with emotion. How many times had she dreamed about hearing him say those words to her again?

"Come with me," he requested, gazing at her. She knew exactly what he was asking of her with one look into his luminescent eyes, and she was never going to say no. She didn't want to be anywhere else, or with anyone else. Her future, whatever that was anymore, lay prostrate at the feet of the translucent figure standing in front of her.

"Of course," she replied, her eyes not leaving his as she intertwined her fingers with his. The moment they touched, she felt the thin fragments of her mortality fall away for good. Hand in hand, side by side, they walked together into the horizon, its warm lights engulfing them in a welcoming embrace. Neither looked back.

It didn't matter where they were going. None of them even knew where they were. All that mattered was that whatever came ahead of them, they would go through it together. This time, nothing was ever going to tear them apart.

Nothing.

**FIN**

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_**A/N: Title from the classic "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross. Let me know how I did by reviewing. It means a lot to me, these reviews. Thanks a bunch!**_


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